You can no longer see your friends posting on Facebook the video of their watering in order under the pretext of making Internet users aware of Charcot’s disease? Good news (or not, it’s up to you …), a new viral challenge for the benefit of a disease has appeared on social networks. It is about the “Feeling Nuts”, which one can literally translate by “to feel its testicles”.
Less violent and unpleasant (especially as autumn approaches) than the Ice Bucket Challenge, the Feeling Nuts Challenge educates men about screening for testicular cancer. To get the message across, male internet users are invited to post a photo of themselves touching their testicles on social networks. The participants must then nominate their friends who will also have to take part in the game. To date, more than 6 million photos are circulating on the web via the hashtag #FeelingNuts. This is not the first time that a testicular cancer screening awareness campaign has used the humorous tone. Last April, an Australian association broadcast a clip where men had their testicles waxed to illustrate the slogan “Expose your testicles to check them more regularly”.
The importance of testing for testicular cancer
Behind the funny challenge lies a public health problem that should not be overlooked. Testicular cancer affects every 1500 men in France, and more particularly young people between 20 and 30 years old. Indeed, testicular cancer represents 1/3 of cancer cases in young men. While most women go to their gynecologist regularly to take a smear and check for a possible Cervical cancer, men are much less aware of cancers that can affect their private parts. This is why they should regularly feel their testicles. A lump is felt? A doctor’s appointment should be made promptly for a clinical examination to establish a diagnosis.
